Pets accompanying travellers

Pets accompanying travellers

The movement of pet animals accompanying travellers in the European Union is subject to Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the animal health requirements applicable to the non-commercial movement of pet animals.

Pets accompanying travellers (only dogs, cats and ferrets) in order to enter into the territory of the Republic of Poland from other EU countries must:

be identified by an electronic identification system (transpoder/chip),

be vaccinated against rabies,

have a pet passport.

Also pet animals from San Marino, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Monaco, and the Vatican may have a pet passport.

With regard to the movement of pet animals from a third country other than listed in Annex II part C to Regulation 998/2003, pet animals, apart from being identified, vaccinated and having a health certificate, must undergo a test to determine the effectiveness of rabies vaccines. The test must be carried out in one of the approved laboratories on a sample that was taken at least 30 days after vaccination and three months before being moved.

The list of laboratories authorised to check the effectiveness of vaccination against rabies is available at: